Two or more generators may be connected in parallel (referred to as parallel (or paralleled) generators) to supply power to a home, business, vehicle, boat, or another entity. In some examples, the parallel generators may operate as a secondary source of power, and may be turned on in the event of a failure of another source of power. In other examples, a system of paralleled generators may be the primary source of power, such as in remote locations, in boats, or in other vehicles.
Parallel generators offer numerous advantages over systems powered with a single generator. A system of paralleled generators may incorporate multiple smaller generators in place of a more expensive and larger generator, which may require a larger footprint for installation than multiple smaller generators. Accordingly, the multiple smaller generators may allow for more flexibility in placement than one larger generator. Additionally, the system of paralleled generators may offer redundancy, which may provide a system with consistency and reliability. With multiple paralleled generators, if one of the parallel generators malfunctions, the load may be redistributed to the other generators immediately. The redundancy also allows for maintenance and repair to take place at one of the generators without disrupting the supply from the remaining paralleled generators. As another advantage, a system of parallel generators may be expanded incrementally as needs of the system increase.
In some arrangements parallel generators may encounter overload conditions at one or more generators. Challenges remain in minimizing the occurrence of power failures that may result from such overload conditions.